*Official* New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka 2019

[Maximas]

Nah, compare how we batted against SL to how we batted against India. The latter was a significantly more conservative approach and Australia did a lot better. Only on substandard pitches is your approach viable.

Welcome to SL

NZ would do well to pick both Boult and Southee IMO, swing won them the 2nd test in 2012 and had us in trouble in the 1st. Having said that, 2 frontline spinners are most likely going to be necessary also.

 

[Jezroy]

Welcome to SL

NZ would do well to pick both Boult and Southee IMO, swing won them the 2nd test in 2012 and had us in trouble in the 1st.

I know it did when we last toured SEVEN YEARS AGO, but would there be much swing on offer usually in Sri Lanka? Doesn't strike me as the norm.

Balance of the side is going to be very interesting - I'd say most likely 2 spinners, CDG, and two of Wags/Boult/Southee.

Great to see BJ back. Feels like so long ago since we saw that guy.

 

[Maximas]

Sri Lanka has always rewarded swing bowlers, the humidity encourages new ball swing, and the abrasive pitches bring reverse swing into play, it was more pronounced in November 2012 in monsoon season but as SA showed in 2014 (Steyn) great swing bowlers are always in the game. SL has a decent history of producing swing bowlers too, think Chaminda Vaas, hell even Nuwan Kulesakara was effective at home throughout his career

 

[Starfighter]

Frankly not seen much of either in recent matches there.

 

[trundler]

Anderson did not have a very good time in SL last year

 

[Maximas]

There has been a recent trend to try and make fast bowling obsolete as much as possible to favour the home team, not sure how much impact that has on swing, given the SL spin stocks were exposed by England last year and new fast bowling talent was spectacularly unearthed in SA earlier this year we may see a return to more traditional conditions

 

[Starfighter]

In my not particularly long time watching cricket there was a short period around 2012 to 2014 where there was actually some grass left on SL pitches and the pace bowlers did take wickets but looking back down history that's the exception rather than the rule. I don't think there's as much reverse swing as Pak or Ind either, for whatever reason.

From what I've read the attitude extends down into the domestics too, hence rubbish bowlers like Pushpakumara cleaning up. But that would involve reforming the hideous domestic structure. I find it interesting that WI domestic pitches become super-spin friendly when administrative things began to fall apart. Seems to have some parallels with the way SL have gone in the last two or three years.

 

[Jezroy]

NZ squad must be announced soon considering the first game is two weeks on Thursday. Wonder how the weather’s going in SL at the moment? 0-0 draw probably good for our test championship aspirations.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

NZ squad must be announced soon considering the first game is two weeks on Thursday. Wonder how the weather’s going in SL at the moment? 0-0 draw probably good for our test championship aspirations.

A draw would be good but we haven't won a series there since the 80s when SL were minnows. A series win would alleviate some World Cup pain.

We've also won 5 consecutive test series. It would be great to beat SL and England to get to 7 series before the Aussie tour.

 

[Jarquis]

Is this the appropriate place to say that I really don't rate Sandakan?

 

[straw man]

Didn't realise this tour was so soon. In some ways might be good to get back to cricket, and test cricket at that, rather than lingering on the World Cup final.

The below is the squad I would choose too.

i was thinking about this yesterday at work to take my mind off the cancelled final and imo we should go horses for courses. cdg out, trust santner at #7. i know my mantra is wickets are everything in tests but his bowling should be effective on these pitches.

latham
raval
kane
ross
nicholls
watling
santa
southee
wagner
ajaz
boult

ajaz is our most subcontinenty finger spinner so i would play him. the rest of the squad would be cdg, ferguson, somerville and blundell.

for the england series santner would leave the squad or remain as spin cover unless he piles on the runs this tour. neesham would take over as reserve allrounder. potentially somerville comes in for ajaz at home.

The exact makeup of the bowling attack and which all-rounder to play to be decided closer to time and depending on conditions. Plenty of combinations that would work.

The squad is light one batsman with only Blundell as backup, but with Young unavailable who else would we pick? I genuinely don't know and the names that spring to mind aren't great.

Astle and Neesham near to making the squad but just miss out.

 

[NZTailender]

Neesham would count as batting cover to some extent.

 

[Maximas]

Is this the appropriate place to say that I really don't rate Sandakan?

Yes it is

 

[Bahnz]

Given that the guy who’s spot is shakiest is probably Raval, you’d want an opener as cover. So maybe time to finally throw Flem a bone and pick Hay?

 

[Athlai]

Never throw Phlegm a bone. Last time that happened we got Pinga.

 

[straw man]

Given that the guy who’s spot is shakiest is probably Raval, you’d want an opener as cover. So maybe time to finally throw Flem a bone and pick Hay?

It's only two tests though, so if Raval got a pair in the first test I still don't think it would work to bring in anyone else for the second, especially not a 35 yr old who doesn't have a long term future. A spare batsman would only be injury cover imo, and I don't mind Blundell doing that.

Tbh Ferguson, as much as I want him to be involved, is probably excess as 4th seamer on a two test tour of Sri Lanka. Could replace him with a batsman or Neesham I guess. For that matter, they might only take 14 instead of 15 anyway.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I'd like to pick Ravindra. He can cover Raval or De Grandhomme.

I wouldn't mind
Raval
Latham
KW
RT
Nicholls
Rachin R
Watling
Somerville
Southee
Wagner
Boult

 

[Bahnz]

Hmmm, nah don't think Rachin is quite there yet. Kane had been averaging 50 as a teenager for 2 full seasons before he got his national callup - and he still was only barely international standard at the time. Rachin averaging low 30's after 4 Plunket Shield games is a far cry from that. Should definitely remain an automatic pick for NZA and hopefully he'll come into the frame next summer (particularly given that the touring parties around that time will be the more modest WI and Pakistan squads).

 

[Athlai]

Rachin definitely needs a full season or so before we should even consider him

 

[NZTailender]

ffs Raval's just coming off his maiden ton 2 matches back, give him some rope hey. Guptill got way more.